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Fairy tales have always got to have something a bit scary for children - as long as you make them laugh as well.
Roald Dahl
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Fairy tales blend elements of fear and humor to engage children's imaginations.

Roald Dahl's quote emphasizes the importance of balancing scary elements with humor in fairy tales for children. This combination not only entertains but also teaches resilience and the ability to face fears, making the stories more impactful and memorable for young audiences.

Themes

Fairy TalesChildrenHumorFearImagination

In practice

Example use cases

A parent might use this quote at a storytelling event to showcase how fairy tales can entertain and teach.

More from Roald Dahl

The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.
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Matilda said, "Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it's unbelievable.
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I asked my mum, who's a very clever psychotherapist, and she says that kids love stories about death; they need it, they need to have stories that deal with death and explain it, as a place to put their fears.
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By the time I am nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least one hundred and fifty times. I am suspicious of both facility and speed. Good writing is essentially rewriting. I am positive of this.
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You seemed so far away," Miss Honey whispered, awestruck. "Oh, I was. I was flying past the stars on silver wings," Matilda said. "It was wonderful.
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If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.
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